Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are used to monitor conditions within and surrounding vehicle tires. Parameters typically monitored include local temperature and pressure information. Most TPMS comprise tire-based sensors and other components that monitor and then transmit the local information via radio signals to a central receiver in another part of the vehicle. Power is supplied to the tire-based systems by local batteries, energy harvesters or scavengers, or other means.
To further improve vehicle and transportation safety, it is desired to monitor and transmit additional parameters, such as the form and size of a tire bearing surface, the depth of a tire tread profile, the temperature of the bearing surface, the stress in the tire due to acceleration or centrifugal force effects in curves, and other characteristics. It is desired to measure and monitor these and other conditions and characteristics, for example, in next-generation intelligent tire systems (ITS). The type and amount of information that can be monitored and transmitted by current systems and technologies, however, are limited by the power required locally in or around the tire to carry out these tasks, in particular the power necessary to wirelessly exchange communications with the central receiver some distance away.